During conversation with a member of my church, the person started talking about the price of fuel oil. I told them I have a rice burning stoker stove and a rice burning boiler. They stated that they used to burn coal at home. More conversation lead to them describing how they pulled out the old rice coal stoker boiler and put in an oil burning boiler because it was easier to maintain. They mentioned that they still had coal in the basement and I could have it if I wanted it. I went by and looked and it is about 1/2 ton with 4 metal ash buckets, an OLD cross cut saw, and a good size scoop shovel. The price is right for all of it. Free for the hauling.

I'll be transporting the coal and other items this week to my bunker. Cost will be about two gallons of gas for the round trip. Love those basement mines!!!

freetown fred wrote:Hey RMA, how old are you? :surrender: couldn't help myself my young friend By the way--if you finish filling out your profile I promise nobody'll steal ya

Hey Fred,My name is Robert and has been for 62 years. I know saws as crosscut and rip, too, but thought of a power saw, in particular, I suppose, because I just saw a basement woodshop with a full complementof post war machines. I didn't spend much time looking at thembut they were each "tops" for the home shop. They were made the way tools (machines) used to be made: to outlive your grandchildren.

I hear all that Bob,we have a shop im Marathon,NY 13803 that does nothing but restore real old machines. I've walked through a couple times & yes--the craftsmanship is amazing, & I guess they've got a market for them--they've been there forever I figured you were a youngster

freetown fred wrote:I hear all that Bob,we have a shop im Marathon,NY 13803 that does nothing but restore real old machines. I've walked through a couple times & yes--the craftsmanship is amazing, & I guess they've got a market for them--they've been there forever I figured you were a youngster

What do you mean "were"?I am ONLY sixty two!

Regarding the quality of Old Tools (and machines) and all of the things the the United States had to offer, and manufacture:Yes, Fred, I have mixed emotions about already having lived throughthose "best of times", here in the United States.

Mined the coal yesterday. It was 28 five gallon buckets of rice coal from a basement bunker up a narrow flight of steps and out to the driveway and dumped into my truck. The cross cut saw was badly rusted and one handle had rotted away. The metal buckets came apart when I tried to pick them up. They got added to the pile that will go to the scrap yard. I usually make a run twice a year for gas money. The bottom of the coal pile was sludgy and wet from seepage. But coal NEVER goes bad or rots away.

I found one lump of coal maybe about 10 pounds and dropped it on the concrete floor to break it up and see what quality it was. The outside was dull and I had my doubts. In the center was the nicest rainbow sheen that literally danced in the dim basement light. Too pretty to burn. I saw some coal like that it in the Ashland Pa coal mine gift shop. They called it peacock coal. I'll probably get a shadow box picture frame, put a chunk in it and hang it on the wall as a show piece.

The homeowner showed me the receipt from when the coal stoker was pulled out. The work order showed they removed baseboard electric heaters in each room and replaced it with a two zone baseboard hot water system and an oil fired boiler for $4,500 18 years ago. She said they pulled out the stoker and took most of the coal they had left.

That coal waited 18 years for me to come give it a home. It's resting and drying very nicely in my warm basement bunker, awaiting it's appointed time.

Those two man crosscut saws are the origin of the old statement that firewood will warm you twice.A day on one of those things is like a weeks work in most places.I appreciate the art of making saws and the fine tool steel that is in the older examples. Enjoy your find !!! Mike

blrman07 wrote:During conversation with a member of my church, the person started talking about the price of fuel oil. I told them I have a rice burning stoker stove and a rice burning boiler. They stated that they used to burn coal at home. More conversation lead to them describing how they pulled out the old rice coal stoker boiler and put in an oil burning boiler because it was easier to maintain. They mentioned that they still had coal in the basement and I could have it if I wanted it. I went by and looked and it is about 1/2 ton with 4 metal ash buckets, an OLD cross cut saw, and a good size scoop shovel. The price is right for all of it. Free for the hauling.

I'll be transporting the coal and other items this week to my bunker. Cost will be about two gallons of gas for the round trip. Love those basement mines!!!

If you like free coal all you need to do is to go on Craigslist. There is lots of it free for the mining!!!

New postBy: stovepipemike On: Fri May 20, 2011 7:56 amThose two man crosscut saws are the origin of the old statement that firewood will warm you twice.A day on one of those things is like a weeks work in most places.I appreciate the art of making saws and the fine tool steel that is in the older examples. Enjoy your find !!! Mike

I don't know what mine this coal was from but it is burning in my boiler like no tomorrow. I had the stat set at 140-160 and it has been riding there for quite sometime. Went down last night and the boiler temp was up to 180...Only change was burning the first bucket full of the basement mine coal.